A Nagging Feeling

What a way for a good time to be ruined. One moment, Metas was laughing and having a great time with Jyriah, Veltar, and Ajax - and the next, a pounding headache took over his skull, and the stark colors of black and white clouded his vision.

It was a shock to everyone, including the Alpha as he crashed down towards the ground and let a long groan escape his mouth. There was a burning, stinging pain in the back of his head and he could feel warm blood trickle down his neck.

"M..Mandy..." he was able to murmur out before he fell unconscious.

"I knew it... I knew it was too quiet!" Ajax hissed and got to his feet quickly for being so drunk. "I need to find Lara..."

"I'll go find Jess," Veltar grunted.

"Wait... whose going to find my sister? Someone needs to stay here with Metas in case th-" Jyriah stopped speaking as he watched the two love-struck fools leave in a sloppy hurry.

"Hey!" The red and black haired male shouted in annoyance and disappointment.

Unlike the two who left, the seasoned guard knew to stay at Metas' side. Besides, his baby sister had a knack of surviving things to the annoyance of their enemies....and if not, well... honesty, this was making him numb to worry. If it wasn't this, it would be something else.

Above all, Metas needed protection. If he died, so did all the work the did. So he sat with his King, as a professional soldier would.

Meanwhile, Veltar and Ajax did not have to run far until they nearly collided with their brides and their respective mothers.

"Woah, woah, woah -- you can't see them before the wedding! It's bad luck," Lara's mother scolded.

"Is Myranda with you?" Veltar asked before Ajax got the chance ( he was too busy being relieved).

"No - she stayed in the bridal suite. We didn't want her to be upset or feel awkward at the mothering ceremony. Why?" Lara asked with a quirked brow.

"I love you, but why would you leave our Luna alone?" Ajax questioned breathlessly.

"....What are you talking about? She's with the servants getting her oil bath for tomorrow. She's fine." Lara replied with confusion.

"No, she's not - Metas just suffered a severe wound out of nowhere - which means Myranda was attacked," Ajax revealed in a panic.

"What?" Both Lara and Jess said with shock and turned around to run - but Lara was grabbed by the shoulders by her mother, and Jess was seized by Veltar.

"Dear, you're pregnant - you can't just rush to danger," Lara's mother chided.

"--and I really need you to not die. Ajax and I can go check on her," Veltar added and looked between the four women with a soft pitiful gaze.

"Who would want to hurt her? Myranda has been nothing but kind and respectful, even to those who haven't been the most respectful." Jess asked to no one in particular.

"There must still be some disgruntled citizens who disagree with the new policies. I told Metas that this would happen. He believed in the old-world honor of our past society, and I don't." Ajax let out in a deep sigh. "You and I need to split up to find her. I doubt that they're planning on inviting her to a surprise cake party...."

"What about us?" Jess protested.

"You two stay with your mothers and go to the Groom's Suite. You're also important to Metas - so you'll also be a target, especially because you're extra valuable, Snow. You're Metas' best friend, the Luna's bodyguard, and for now - second in line to the throne, as well as pregnant with a royal baby." Ajax replied in annoyance - he was really starting to feel the pressure of time the longer they stood there and talked instead of actually take action.

"I'm going up the west - you take the east. I don't think they would be foolish enough to kill her yet. They'll use her as a bargaining chip. The sooner we find her, the better. Metas will take care of the rest of the problem once we're done. If we can't find her in the palace - then they will have taken her elsewhere. If you see any guards tell them to be on the lookout," He continued and clutched his chest with anger and panic.

Lara looked to her mother with a face of worry, but she seemed to get nothing but a stone-cold gaze in return - which was very unnerving.

"Come on, let's go - Ajax had an excellent point. I admit, I underestimated the young male , he's quite smart and great under pressure," she said to Lara with cold eyes.

"I wish you had thought that of him before you found out he was royalty..." Lara muttered.

"Oh now, dear - don't fault me for my upbringing. We're just lucky to have a good back-up. Harbinger was our second-in-line before, so this is a major upgrade. I'm merely just seeing it now," her mother chided gently as she led her daughter along with Jess and her mother towards the Goom's wedding suit.

Lara felt uncomfortable with how easily her mother navigated the castle. Sure, it was something she may have known due to all of the time they spent there, after all she had been the late Queen's best friend - but to know where the male royal wedding suite was so easily, that was a shocker.

No one ever went there, because there hadn't been a royal wedding in centuries. So why was it her mother was so well-versed in the layout?

The white wolf tried so very, very hard to shake the bad feeling that was crawling up her spine, but it was tugging at her brain stem like a giant, waving red flag being pulled violently in a torrential storm.

It was only a feeling, though -- and just like any other soul capable of thought, it was hard to try to admit that someone you love, respected, trusted, and adored above all - was up to something sinister.